Oroville arrested man on kidnapping, police find arsenal of weapons

Oroville police found an arsenal of weapons in a man's vehicle, they suspected in a drive-by shooting, Tuesday.

Around 4:50 p.m., the Oroville Police Department received 911 calls on a possible drive by shooting at 2821 Wyandotte Ave.

After getting a description of the vehicle, Oroville police officers arrived in the area. They said one officer went to the Wyandotte Ave. address, while other officers began checking the area for the suspect vehicle.

Within minutes, an Oroville police officer located a vehicle matching the description provided by witnesses and tried to conduct a stop. Police say upon activating their lights, a chase began.

The suspect sped away from officers, with what police said was a complete disregard for safety. During the chase, at a woman got out of the vehicle.

The chase continued and the vehicle ultimately yielded to officers in the Denny’s parking lot in the City of Oroville and contacted and detained Gary L. Cartwright, 35.

According to the Oroville Police Department, officers found numerous firearms and ammunition within the vehicle, including an AK-4 assault rifle with a 100-round drum magazine, two AR-15 rifles with a 200-round drum magazine, a 12-gauge shotgun, a 9mm handgun, two .40 caliber handguns, multiple high capacity magazines and several hundred rounds of ammunition. Police say the majority of these firearms were found loaded.

Officials said that the female passenger was interviewed and it was determined that she was possibly being held within the vehicle against her will. Due to this fact, she was later released and her identity will be withheld at this time.

Cartwright was transported and booked into the Butte County Jail for multiple charges, including: shooting at an inhabited dwelling, negligent discharge of a firearm from a vehicle, possession of a loaded firearm within a vehicle, possession of an assault weapon, possession of high capacity magazines, kidnapping, false imprisonment and possession of controlled substance.

He remains in custody on $668,000 bail.

Oroville police officers conducted an investigation at the residence where this occurred and conducted multiple interviews. It was determined that no subjects were struck by the four to five rounds that were fired.

There were no injuries. The investigation is still ongoing.

If you have any information, please contact the Oroville Police Department’s Investigation Unit at 530-538-2448.